Vijayawada: As the vice-captain of the team and its backbone, Guntur lad Shaik Rasheed played a pivotal role in India emerging triumphant in the Under-19 cricket World Cup. He hit peak form in the semifinals and the championship clash.
Rasheed scored 50 runs with a strike rate of 59.52 in the finals that helped India romp home with a decisive four-wicket win.
His showing has electrified the locals who are on cloud nine. A resident of housing board colony in Guntur, Rasheed’s father Shaik Balishavali is a private employee belonging to Patha Mallayapalem village. Rasheed did his Intermediate in Reddy College, Narasaraopet.
Balishavali recalls that Rasheed wanted to make it big in cricket right from his childhood. The first recognition came when he was selected for the ACA academy in Mangalagiri when he was aged 12 years. He said that they migrated to Guntur for the sake of their son’s cricket.
Rasheed faced a lot of difficulties while honing his skills. He said that around four years back they thought of stopping Rasheed’s cricketing journey due to financial problems. However, he continued to play, thanks to the personal efforts of coach Krishna Rao and MSK Prasad, who shaped the youngster’s career.
Krishna Rao said that Rasheed became nervous when he was hit by Covid-19 during the league phase of the World Cup. However, his confidence levels were high and that helped him come up with scintillating performances in the semifinals and finals. He praised Rasheed’s capacity to hang on in the middle, besides being endowed with excellent footwork and hand-eye coordination.
Narasaraopet MP offers support to Shaik Rasheed
YSRC Narasaraopet MP Lavu Srikrishna Devarayalu congratulated the vice-captain of the Under-19 World Cup winning Indian cricket team, Shaik Rasheed, who shot to international fame with perseverance despite belonging to an ordinary farming family.
Devarayalu said that they will shortly organise a grand felicitation function for Rasheed, who proved that poverty was not an obstacle for showing one’s talent.
The MP assured the support of Vignan Institutions so that the youngster could achieve greater cricketing glories.
